Flushing-tank.



H. AL" THOMAS 6L C. H. BODIE.

FLUSHING TANK.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 2z, 1911.

s 1 1 Q I N Q Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I-IIRAM A. THOMAS AND CHARLES H. BODIE, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

FLUSHING-TANK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13,1912.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, HIRAM A. THOMAS and CHARLES H. Boom, citizens of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flushing-Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

The hereinafter described invention relates to flushing tanks designed for lavatories, and relates more particularly to the valve mechanism controlling the flushing thereof, the construction of which is such that the closing action of the valve shall be controlled by the outflowing water from within the tank; the object of the invention being to dispense with the -float ordinarily employed for cutting off the flow of water into the tank or reservoir from the water supply pipe and the valve utilized in connection therewith, and to provide a flushing tank which shall be substantially noiseless excepting as to the outflow of water therefrom.

To comprehend the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a broken vertical sectional view of the flushing tank taken through the outlet valve mechanism. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the outlet valve, taken on line :1e- Fig. 1 of the drawings.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate an air tight tank, access to the interior thereof being had by means of the threaded plug 2 which screws into the cover 3 to close the hand opening 4. The said tank may be constructed of any material suitable for the purpose to withstand the internal water pressure, and into the same through the bottom thereof leads the water supply pipe 3 for supplyingV water under pressure therein.

At any suitable point is extended from the bottom 4 of the closed tank l the water outlet 5, which connects in the usual manner with the flushing pipe leading to the closet, notshown. The outlet 5 is extended within the tank 1 a slight distance above the bottom thereof, and preferably the same is formed slightly flaring to provide a tapering seat 5 for the valve 6, and is held in place by a suitable washer 7 which screws onto the outer projecting end thereof and draws the internally disposed circumferential flange 8 down onto a packing ring Qato make a water tight joint.

The valve 6 is preferably formed of rubber united in any suitable manner to an inner tubular metal core 10, loosely fitted onto a guide stem 10 preferably formed of vertically disposed radial blades 11, of a length slightly in excess of the metallic core piece 10. The guide stein carries at its lower end a foot piece 12, to engage with the lower end of the core piece 10 of the valve 6 when the same has been raised a distance equal to the distance of its normal projection below the said core-piece l0. The construction of the guide stem 10 is such as to provide a plurality of waterways or passages 12 within the central core piece 10 for the initial flow of water through the valve to the outlet 5. From the guide stem 10 is extended a detachable lift rod 13, onto which is secured in any suitable manner a metallic cap 111, which when the said rod is in lowered position bears ont-o and embraces the upper end of the tubular core piece 10 to prevent the flow of water therethrough, a water tight joint being made by means of the rubber washer 15 fitted within the said cap. The lift rod 13 extends through a guide 16 secured within the tank 1, and at its upper end is connected to the inner end of a horizontally disposed fulcrumed lever 17. This lever at its outer end is united to the upper end of a vertically disposed operating rod 18, which is extended beyond the tank 1 to the outside through a stuffing gland 19, and to said projecting end of the operating rod is connected any suitable form of a handle 20 for actuating the saine.

In operation presuming the tank to be filled with water under pressure, as the handle 20 is thrown to draw downwardly the rod 18, the inner end of the fulerunied lever 17 is thrown upwardly, and rising therewith the lift rod 13 raises the cap 14, to uncover the passages 12, permitting the water within the tank to start a flowing action through the tubular core-piece 10 into the outlet 5 to commence the siphonic flushing action. As the lift rod 13 continues its upward movement the foot piece 1Q of the guide stein 10 engages with the lower end of the core-piece 10 and carrying the saine therewith lifts the valve (i to unseat the same, allowing the water within the tank to rush into the outlet 5 from beneath the valve. The pressure of the outrushing water will maintain the valve unseated until the water level within the tank l has reached such a point that the weight of the valve and its associated parts will overcome that of the resistance offered to the closing movement thereof, when the valve will slowly seat itself and the outlet being closed the tank gradually fills with water, the pressure of the water holding the outlet valve firmly seated and the cap 14 onto the said valve.

In case of excessive wear on the seated end of the rubber valve 6, the lift rod 13 may be readily disconnected from the guide stem into the head of which the lower end thereof screws, the valve 6 slipped from the guide stem and replaced thereon in a reverse position, thereby presenting a fresh or unworn surface for seating onto the valve seat of the outlet 5.

Inasmuch as the valve commonly emloyed in connection with the water supply and the ioat for actuating the same has been eliminated, all noise resulting from a gradually throttled supply inlet is overcome, besides the annoyance incident to the uncertain action of the iioat control resulting from the corroding thereof and the loose play in the connected associated working parts thereof is overcome.

Inasmuch as the area of the outlet from the tank is considerably greater than that of the water supply inlet, the outflow of the water from within the tank, on the unseating of the valve thereof, will be materially greater than the inflow of water, consequently the tank will substantially empty itself prior to the closing of the out-let valve.

Having thus described our invention what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is l. In a valve construction fo-r flushing tanks having an opening in its base, a tubular core member, an elongated guide stem having a series of radial vertically extending blades, said stem being of a length greater than that o-f the core and adapted to slide relative thereto, a flange at the lower end of the stem, of a diameter to overlie the lower edge of the core member, a reciprocating rod connected to the upper end of the stem, a weighted cap secured to the rod and having side flanges toloosely engage over the upper end of the core, and a spherical valve sleeved upon said core, the core and valve having interlocking project-ions and recessed portions. f

2. In a valve construction for flushing tanks having an opening in one wall thereof, an elongated tubular core member, a valve secured to the core member and adapted to close the opening in the tank, a guide stem of a length greater than the length of the core member and loosely fitted within the core member, a flange at the lower end of the guide stem and extending therearound adapted to in one movement of the guide stem engage the lower edge of the core member and constitute a closure for the opening therethrough, an operating stem projecting from the opposite end of the guide member, and a weighted cap secured to the stem and having a depending annular flange adapted to overlie the upper edge of the core member, substantially as and for the purpose described.

ln testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HIRAM A. THOMAS. CHARLES H. BODIE. Witnesses:

B. S. MoAR'rI-IUR, J. W. McVIoKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

